-
Period: to
Beginning to End of Letter Writing
All letters were sent to Charles Cummings' wife, Elizabeth. -
Charles Cummings sends his wife 10$ for milk
Charles Cummings sent his wife 10$ from Camp Seward for the milk bill. Soldiers often had to send money home to their family to support them, and Charles Cummings did this often. Charles Cummings is frustrated that some people are getting fussy about wanting to be payed while he is in the war.
https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/family-life-during-the-civil-war/ -
Charles Cummings takes bath
Charles Cummings explains how he got up and washed himself in the river. He calls this experience "a luxury". He says that usually soldiers take showers in the "chamber." Even though he does this in November, Cummings says that the Washington river water is warmer than the other water.
https://www.sidmartinbio.org/how-did-soldiers-bathe-in-the-civil-war/ -
Charles Cummings receives belt, sash, and sword
Charles Cummings says he feels thankful to have received his own belt, sash, and sword in Camp Vermont. These were given by General Davis. The belt was a common regulation belt while Cummings describes the sword and sash as "very nice".
https://www.historynet.com/ask-mhq-of-belts-sashes-and-silk-net.htm -
Charles Cummings almost suffocates
Charles Cummings tells his wife about how when he was sleeping one night, the fire he lit filled up his tint with smoke to where he could barely breathe. Charles says that he quickly poured water over the fire and put it out. Fire was used in the civil war for different things including staying warm and cooking.
https://dustyoldthing.com/civil-war-soldiers-rations/
"HARDTACK" and "SALT PORK" -
Charles Cummings receives Opium
Charles Cummings told his wife that he was having digestive problems while he was away and that he was given Opium from a doctor in Fairfax County for it. Opium can help the problems, however they're highly addictive and there was a high increase in addictions to them during the Civil War. Charles Cummings reports feeling better after taking them, but doesn't mention getting hooked on them.
https://muse.jhu.edu/article/419520 -
Charles Cummings likes the food
Charles Cummings says that with the way he's eating and exercising he's never felt better in his life. He says that he eats beef, pork, butter and cheese, onions, and oysters, although they also serve turkey, chicken, and different types of sauces.
https://tnmuseum.org/junior-curators/posts/what-does-a-soldier-eat#:~:text=The%20most%20common%20food%20given,t%20able%20to%20keep%20up. -
Many men sick
Charles Cummings says that there are 700 men sick and some people have the small pox. Hospitals are filling up quickly with people who need care. He says that the sickness is spreading around camps.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8513069/ -
Charles Cummings hears about the Battle of Fredericksburg
Charles Cummings hears that a battle has been going on at Fredericksburg and he assumes that the Union will win. In the end of the battle, the Confederacy comes out victorious.
https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/battle-of-fredericksburg -
Telegraph machine taken over
Charles Cummings says that some rebels took over a Union telegraph machine and commanded that a train leave a station even though it wasn't done loading yet. Cummings says that the rebels cut the wire of the machine after the Union wasn't fooled.
https://www.essentialcivilwarcurriculum.com/the-telegraph.html#:~:text=For%20the%20first%20time%20in,factors%20in%20the%20North's%20victory. -
Extreme amount of mud
Charles Cummings explains that after the 18 inches of snow they got melted, it was very muddy. He complains that there was at least 3 inches of snow and that it stuck to all of his stuff and got everywhere.
https://www.essentialcivilwarcurriculum.com/weather-and-the-civil-war.html -
F.J. Porter convicted of culpable remissions
Charles Cummings sends a letter from Fairfax County that says that Fitz John Porter was convicted of culpable remissions. Cummings thinks that him and anyone else holding back information should be wed out.
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/fitz-john-porter -
Charles Cummings gets hypothermia
Charles Cummings tells his wife how he's been feeling very tired lately and that his lungs and air passages were hurting. He got tested and was diagnosed with hypothermia.
http://www.pbs.org/mercy-street/uncover-history/behind-lens/hospitals-civil-war/ -
Charles Cummings hears about his mothers death
Charles Cummings responds to hearing of his mothers death by saying how sad and distressed he is. Soldiers were not allowed to leave for family deaths and so he simply had to describe his feelings by letter.
https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/applied-and-social-sciences-magazines/furloughs -
General Stoughton captured
Charles Cummings explains how General Edwin H. Stoughton was captured at Fairfax Station by Fitz Lee's cavalry. He describes the event as exciting and says that it was very rainy outside and some people had to jump out of the building windows to get away.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22652/edwin-henry-stoughton -
Charles Cummings receives hair from the head of his children
Charles Cummings is given hair in the mail to Fairfax Station off of the heads of his children at home, Lizzy and Charlie. Charles Cummings says that he really wishes that he could see them and he is sad that he can't.
https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/family-life-during-the-civil-war/ -
Charles Cummings moves battle positions
In this letter sent from a camp near Union Mills, Charles Cummings tells his wife that he was moved to the back row of his group of fighters. He says he would rather be on the front lines but he knows his wife is much more comfortable with him farther away from the battle.
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/civil-war-army-organization -
Charles Cummings wants alcohol and tobacco
Charles Cummings says that the water where he is in Virginia is gross and he doesn't like it. He wants liquor to block out the taste and drink instead. He craves tobacco as well. He did find some to smoke however, it usually being plentiful to people to both people in the Union and Confederacy.
https://civilwarhome.com/tobacco.html -
Train attacked by rebels
Charles Cummings talks about how he could hear an attack on a Union train in Virginia from a distance. He says that he was told that some rebels hiding behind trees in a forest launched a surprise attack on the train, bombing it and burning supplies and running away for an escape.
https://www.historynet.com/railroads-critical-role-in-the-civil-war.htm -
Charles Cummings horse killed
Charles Cummings says to his wife that his horse died during the Battle of Gettysburg due to being hit with a "shell". Cummings describes Peacock as his best horse and very smart. Horses were used for transport, messaging, pulling wagons and sometimes could be vital artillery pieces. Cummings sounds frustrated because his horse dying was just one of many things going wrong that day.
https://www.nps.gov/articles/animals-of-the-armies.htm -
Battle of Gettysburg
Charles Cummings fights in the Battle of Gettysburg and tells his wife many details about it. He describes the battle as being important, as he and the Union were fighting against what he says is over 25,000 rebels. At the end of the battle he probably feels exhilarated and he is probably trying to help the injured as many medics came that night.
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/gettysburg